Insulating your garage can help keep your heating and cooling bills down by keeping it warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Sealing your garage will create a safer living situation for your family. An added bonus is being able to work without disturbing the rest of the household. By combining air sealants and insulation into the walls you can prevent deadly fumes and carbon monoxide from entering your home.
If you are lucky enough to have the studs showing it is easier to air seal the wall cavities between the interior wall and the walls that connect to your home. Air sealing the walls is inexpensive and not that hard to do. All you need is air sealant and a tube of silicone caulk. Before you begin you want to search for any holes or cracks that may have been left over from the electricians and plumbers. Anywhere electrical wires or plumbing comes through the wall you need to seal.
You want the main focus of your attention to be on the bottom of the wall. Exhaust fumes can ooze beneath the framing where the wood rests on the foundation. It is best to run a bead of caulk between the wood and the concrete to create a barrier. You’ll want to run your finger along the caulk to force it into the cracks so it can completely seal any cracks the fumes may be able to escape into.
There are three types of insulation; loose-fill is commonly used to insulate attics it can be blown into open spaces; spray foam insulation can be blown into existing walls if drywall is already in place and is a great choice for open spaces as well, however, blanket insulation is a better alternative if you have the studs in place but have not put up the drywall yet.
Blanket insulation comes in differing widths and R values. Most blanket insulation is sold at the standard 16 inch width. This is the distance between the wooden studs. You want to make sure you choose the correct R value. An R value is assessed based on how well or the ability of a specific type of insulation to resist heat flow. The higher the R numbers; means that type of insulation has a greater ability to protect. When using loose-fill and spray foam insulation,once it has been blown in you need to repair the hole in the drywall using small pieces of drywall to fill then tape, and mud as usual.
You need to choose an R-value based on a variety of factors to effectively insulate your space; one of the most particularly important factors is your local climate. If you are doing it yourself, you can ask any member of staff at a building center or hardware store for the best R-value for your needs before buying the insulation. Once you have chosen and installed the blanket insulation you’ll want to cover the insulation with drywall.
The biggest place you will lose heat is your garage door; make sure to add weather stripping to the bottom to keep any air from seeping underneath the door. For increased insulation apply a seal around the outside of the garage door as well. If you decide to insulate your garage door there are several options to choose from. There are reflective foil insulations that use heavy duty polyethylene. This type of insulation is usually comprised of two layers of polyethylene foam between two sheets of aluminum foil. The other option; which is more cost effective, is molded polystyrene panels, these types of panels have a higher R value.
All Four Seasons garage doors is the premier full-service vendor for your garage doors Atlanta GA. For more information, to schedule a FREE estimate, or to request a service call, call us today at 678-981-8454!